


What Could Have Been

by Thedreamison



Category: One Piece
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), M/M, Sad, Short One Shot, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 13:37:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19063762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thedreamison/pseuds/Thedreamison
Summary: Zoro visits Sanji. Time has changed many things between them.





	What Could Have Been

Thirty years. Thirty long years have gone by without seeing the man standing in front of him. He hasn't waited for this day, hasn't dared to hope for it because there had been no promises between them. But he has dreamt of it on lonely nights and has hated himself for it. He also hates this man who's heartless enough to come knocking at his door after all this time as much as those dreams, if not more.

"Why are you here?" He means for the words to come out clipped but he can't help the quiver that seeps into his voice.

The man seems oblivious to his animosity or maybe he has expected this because he doesn't look deterred as he shamelessly asks, "Can I come in, Cook?"

_Cook._

The word sounds less like a label for his profession and more like a term of endearment, coming from those lips. All at once, his tongue feels thick in his mouth and he doesn't trust himself to speak. So he's about to shut the door and let the gesture serve as his answer when the man continues.

"I'm hungry. It's cold here."

And just like that, his resolve crumbles. He's barely contemplated for a beat before he's opening the door wider and stepping aside to allow the other man in.

"Some things don't change." The man says, the barest hint of a smile on his lips.

For a second, he sees a young man, wrinkles and grey locks replaced by smooth tan skin and soft green hair but he forces himself to wipe away the mental image and looks away.

Some things may not have changed but others have, in irreparable ways.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how this fic came to be. I'm not really one for angst so I'm surprised that I've written this and am posting this as my first work to boot. I enjoyed the idea of conveying a story with minimal words though. I hope you guys like it too and that the lack of names in the fic doesn't make things confusing. Comments and kudos are always appreciated.


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